Highlights: India has become the most populous country in the world, with more than 1.4 billion inhabitants. Hindus raise fears of the rapid growth of the Muslim population, and of a "great replacement of Hindus" Muslims make up about 15% of India's population. In recent decades, it has grown faster than that of Hindus, but the fertility rate of Muslim women has since fallen sharply to 2.3 children per woman, which is close to the rate of Hindu women today. Muslim women say they want to have fewer children, but because they are poorer and less educated, they often do not have adequate access to contraception.

Demographics in India: Hindus wave the threat of a 'great replacement'

Audio 01:21

India will have about 1.4286 billion people compared to 1.4257 billion for China, or 2.9 million more people by mid-2023, according to UN projections. (Image of Hindu devotees during the Magh Mela festival, in Prayagraj on January 31, 2023). © Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

India has become the most populous country in the world these days, with more than 1.4 billion inhabitants. A title that has not been celebrated by the Indian government, as the challenges posed by this large population are important. Especially since Hindus raise fears of the rapid growth of the Muslim population, and of a "great replacement of Hindus". Misinformation that spreads on social networks.

Advertising

With our correspondent in New Delhi, Sébastien Farcis

Four women and 40 children, this is Allah's gift. And you are surprised that there is unemployment? Posted on Instagram, this short and incisive video contains all the Islamophobic clichés that we regularly hear from Hindus whenever we talk about population. It was posted some time ago by the profile called Proud hindu.

► Read also: India, a first demographic power in search of economic miracle

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by the.proud.hindu (@the.proud.hindu)

For many of these militant Hindus, the growth of the Muslim population is a problem. "Muslims are a ticking time bomb! They will grow and soon control us! Pravin Togadia, an influential Hindu leader, told the crowd who repeated in chorus, in a speech found online.

Location: Chirang, Assam

Hindu far-right leader Pravin Togadia demonizes Muslims; spreads fear about their population.

"Muslim population growth is a time bomb," he told the crowd. pic.twitter.com/HyBRdFsKDE

— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) April 26, 2023

An untruth: Muslims make up about 15% of India's population. In recent decades, it has grown faster than that of Hindus, but the fertility rate of Muslim women has since fallen sharply to 2.3 children per woman, which is close to the rate of Hindu women today. Muslim women say they want to have fewer children, but because they are poorer and less educated, they often do not have adequate access to contraception.

Since 2014, the Hindu nationalist party, the BJP, has continued to instrumentalize religion to make India a "Hindu rashtra", a Hindu country. Pressure and violence are multiplying especially against the Muslim minority, but also Christian, while the BJP is positioning itself for the legislative elections of spring 2024, in just one year.

► Also listen: Hinduism: religion and instrumentalization by Hindu nationalists

► Also listen: India is the most populous country in the world. What to reshuffle the cards on the Asian continent?

Demographics in India: Hindus wave the threat of a 'great replacement'

Demographics in India: Hindus wave the threat of a 'great replacement'

You may like

Trends 24h

Latest